This invention is related to bicycle exercising stands for supporting a bicycle for stationary exercises, and more particularly to such a stand that accommodates bicycles of different diameters, as well as conventional speed bicycles having a multi-sprocket arrangement on one side of the rear wheel.
Bicycle stands for supporting a bicycle for indoor exercises are widely known in the art. For example, such stands are illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,352,426 which issued to Carlson and U.S. Pat. No. 3,866,908 which issued to Hangler. Usually such stands comprise a base with a pair of upright supports. Means are provided on the upper end of the supports for engaging the bicycle's rear axle. A roller, about the size of a roller skating wheel, is mounted on the stand to engage the bicycle wheel to resist wheel rotation by the user cranking the pedals.
One problem with commercially available stands is that they will not accommodate the "speed" bikes having a multi-sprocket arrangement mounted on one side of the rear wheel to change the turning ratio between the pedal and the rear wheel. In addition, prior art bicycle stands require a large number of components that cannot be readily adjusted to accommodate wheels of different diameters.